Young & Lost Club celebrates its 50th release

Begun by two teenagers in 2005, the singles label is now on its 50th release. To mark the occasion, founders Nadia Dahlawi and Sara Jade have pulled together 35 tracks that document the vibrancy of London's music scene.

As the girls tell it, the pair first bonded at boarding school over The Strokes, breaking curfews to see their favourite indie bands in the capital. In 2003, they started their own live showcase during half-term breaks and the singles club developed from there. Along the way, Young & Lost have provided early releases for a gamut of famous names.

Successes include debut singles for Bombay Bicycle Club and Fear Of Flying – the group that became White Lies – though their cosiest relationship remains with Noah & The Whale. The label put out a series of singles by the nu-folkies from 2007 before their debut album Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down became a hit via Mercury Records.

Even then, the band refused to forget the label that had supported them early on. In 2008, Noah played the girls' Push indie club New Year's Eve do at the Astoria 2 before the venue's closure and are set to headline the label's fifth anniversary in September. Dahlawi and Jade in danger are not forgetting their roots, their Girls Just Wanna Have Fun nights give female DJs a chance to shine.

The Young & Lost Club Compilation is released on 16 August (Young & Lost Club)